“One of the most memorable dinners I’ve ever attended took place a few years ago in Hanoi. It was in honor of the group of international ‘experts’ who had been advising on a corporations law for Vietnam,” said Jordan. “The dinner was comprised of numerous courses of snake. Only snake. Quite a large snake. Presented writhing at the table, then dispatched there. There was snake soup, fried snake bones, snake liver, snake skin and two snake aperitifs (high proof alcohol with snake blood in one and snake bile in another). All the ‘experts’ were keeping their eyes peeled throughout the dinner, trying to figure out who would be deemed guest of honor, as the tradition is to present him (or, yikes, in my case, her) with the still beating snake heart to quaff like an oyster. Things they don’t teach you in law school!”

Fortunately for the Levin College of Law, Jordan survived the slithery experience and made her way to UF in 2003, joining the faculty to teach International Securities Regulation, Corporations and Comparative Law. She brings with her a wealth of international business law experience.

She has published a book and more than 50 articles, and has given nearly 40 formal presentations since 1992 on international capital markets, corporate governance, international trade and commercial legal reform. The World Bank recommends Jordan as one of three internationally recognized experts in companies law.

Jordan is admitted to practice in Hong Kong, New York, California, Ontario and Quebec, and came to UF after four years with the World Bank in Washington, D.C., where she served as senior counsel for finance and private sector development. She was in private practice for 10 years, working for firms in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York City — where she was with Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton — and Toronto. She specializes in corporate finance, project finance and international securities, to name just a few of her areas of expertise.

In addition to her experience with the World Bank and in the private sector, she also has worked with the Asian Development Bank and advised a number of countries and organizations on a broad range of corporate law issues. She worked with the Hong Kong government’s Financial Services Bureau in developing a new companies law, and with the International Finance Corporation, World Bank and Canadian International Development Agency in drafting a new enterprise law in Vietnam.

She was associate professor at McGill University for five years, teaching Business Associations, International Securities Regulation and International Business Enterprises, chaired both the Graduate Studies Committee and joint Law/MBA program, and was a member of the Institute of Comparative and Private Law. She has been a visitor and an adjunct at Georgetown Law Center (Washington), University of Melbourne (Australia) and Osgoode Hall Law School (Toronto).

She is “bilingual and bisystemic,” with common law and two civil law degrees, and has taught and practiced in French and Chinese (with help from associates). A Canadian citizen, she earned her B.A. from Carleton University (with distinction); M.A. from University of Toronto; B.C.L. and LL.B. from McGill University; and D.E.A. from the University of Paris I (Pantheon-Sorbonne). She clerked for Chief Justice of Canada Brian Dickson.

“Law leads to so many different professions: practitioner, professor, politician, judge, regulator, writer, arbitrator…the list goes on,” said Jordan. “As a student it was one of the main attractions of a legal education for me, the world of professional opportunities it opens up.”

“We are very proud of our students and the faculty whose efforts helped prepare them,” said Dean Robert Jerry.

For UF law students taking the exam in February for the first time, 88.8 percent — 142 out of 160 — passed. Of the total 1,112 who took the February test, 75.3 percent – 837 – passed. Other passage rates were Florida Coastal, 79.2; Stetson, 76; Florida State University, 67.3; University of Miami, 66.1; Nova Southeastern, 54.5; St. Thomas, 46.9; and Barry University of Orlando, 40.9. Graduates from non-Florida schools had a 78.9 rate.

“We have an outstanding record of success over the years, but we want to remind current students that past success is no future guarantee. They should emulate these students, who excelled due to hard work and diligent preparation,” said Associate Dean for Students, Professionalism and Community Relations Gail Sasnett.

The Florida Bar Board of Examiners, an administrative arm of the State Supreme Court, conducts exams every February and July for law graduates seeking to practice in Florida.

UF law students also did well on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, with 88.6 percent passing, second only to Miami’s 91.6 percent. The MPRE measures knowledge of the profession’s codes of conduct.